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CNET
06-07-2025
- General
- CNET
You're Probably Flushing These 9 Items Down the Drain. Here's Why That's a Problem
Being a new homeowner comes with a steep learning curve, and summer has a way of speeding things up. I expected my air conditioner to get a workout, but I didn't expect drain issues to be one of the season's big headaches. Between weekend guests, backyard barbecues and more cleaning than usual, your plumbing ends up doing a lot of heavy lifting this time of year. What caught me off guard wasn't just how fast things clogged up, but how many everyday items were to blame. It turns out, a handful of things I had been rinsing down the drain without a second thought are some of the worst offenders. If you want to keep your pipes clear and avoid a mid-summer call to the plumber, it helps to know exactly what not to put down the drain. From cooking grease to coffee grounds, here are the common culprits you should steer clear of if you want to avoid a serious clog. If you do have a clogged drain, read on. We asked a plumber what to do to get things moving. Spoiler alert: It's not using a chemical drain cleaner. In this article, I'll tell you about nine things you should never send swirling down the sink. Plus, I'll offer a few tips for unclogging a drain should you need to. Save your pipes. Save your summer. 9 household items that will clog your drain Vegetable peels Carrot, potato and other vegetable peels may fit down the drain but that's about the worst place you can put them. That organic refuse will cause backups and clogged drains faster than you can say "compost pile." Speaking of which, a compost pile or organic waste processor is exactly where those materials should go. Here's how to start a compost pile if you're new to the game. Oil and grease Bacon fat shouldn't be poured down the sink, but it can be saved and used in your next recipe. Talisman Oil and grease are two of the most common drain-clogging substances. Large amounts of cooking oil left in the skillet or a mound of leftover bacon fat from breakfast are surefire ways to build up gunk in your kitchen pipes over time. Oil should be fully cooled and placed in a sealed receptacle before being tossed. Pork fat and bacon grease can be used to flavor your next recipe or season a cast-iron skillet. Read more: 8 Ways to Use Leftover Bacon Fat Oil-based foods: Salad dressing, mayo, marinades, chili crisp Try to avoid putting large amounts of mayo or salad dressing down the kitchen drain. MemoriesThe same goes for oily foods including salad dressing, mayonnaise, marinades and more. A small spot of mayonnaise may not cause an issue, but dumping a whole bottle of past-its-prime balsamic dressing or teriyaki marinade could cause problems. Heavily oil-based foods can't be composted and should be tossed in the garbage. Coffee grounds Coffee grounds can be composted but they shouldn't go in the sink. Chris Monroe/CNET If you make a pot of coffee every morning, disposing of the grounds is just part of the routine. Coffee grounds can be composted, but they should not go down the drain. Over time, coffee grounds will build up in the pipes and cause a backup. If you don't have one, consider starting a compost pile to keep food scraps from ending up in the sink and garbage. Use this helpful trick to avoid that compost pile stench in your kitchen. Or add a countertop food scrap processor like the Lomi or Mill Bin if composting isn't in the cards. Flour Extra flour should be composted or thrown away. iStockphoto/Getty Images If you've seen what happens to flour when it mixes with water, you know why it's not a good idea to pour it down the drain. Imagine a dense bread dough trying to make its way through your pipes. Not pretty. If you have leftover flour from a baking project or a recipe, you should compost it or else throw it away. Dirt and soil Fight the urge to flush excess potting soil down the kitchen drain. Justin Tech/CNET I'm admittedly guilty of this one. The kitchen sink seems like the perfect place to transfer an indoor plant from pot to pot, but soil and other dirt types can very easily clog your drain. If you can do it without letting more than a few granules down the sink, you'll probably be OK. If heaps of potting are involved, you'd be wise to take the project outside. Rice and pasta Be it cooked or uncooked, rice does not belong in your pipes. Compost it instead. Brian Bennett/CNET Unless you have a garbage disposal, no food scraps should be going down the drain. Rice and small pasta are especially tricky since they can sneak past your drain guard and end up in pipes they shouldn't be. To stop a starch-based clog before it happens, discard leftover grains and pasta in the compost pile or trash bin if you're not composting. Paper products Paper products, no matter how thin, do not go down the kitchen drain. Angela Lang/CNET There are no paper products that should go down the drain, even those made from thin compostable. Certain kitchen products like plates, bowls and napkins can be composted, but check carefully before adding them to your kitchen pile or smart kitchen bin. Otherwise, they should be tossed. Paint Oil-based paint is about the worst thing you could pour down the kitchen sink. Try mixing it with kitty litter until it dries before disposing of it.I've been guilty of this one, too but it's time to break the habit. Because paint is liquid, it might seem like a candidate for the kitchen sink, but it's not. Paint adheres to pipes, and if it dries, it becomes a serious plumbing problem. One genius hack for disposing of old paint: kitty litter. Mix some litter with the old paint can until it turns solid and toss it in the garbage. Check with your local sanitation service for certified disposal facilities for oil-based paints. How to unclog a drain with household items Is there anything baking soda and vinegar can't do? Angela Lang/CNET If your drain does clog, try a combination of vinegar, baking soda and boiling water. There are many reports from LifeProTips and Lifehacks Reddit threads of this quick fix saving homeowners in a pinch. There are also chemical drain cleaners to help get things moving -- although a plumber we spoke to told us why you should be cautious with chemical drain cleaners. To stop food and solids from getting into the kitchen drain, a $10 sink strainer will save you grief later on. Most important is knowing which foods and household materials to keep out of the kitchen sink and avoid a clogged pipe catastrophe in the first place. FAQ What's the best chemical cleaner I can use for a clogged drain? After rigorous testing, CNET has determined the best overall chemical drain cleaner is Green Gobbler Main Line Opener. For a full list of our tested chemical drain cleaners, you can reference our best list here.
The Sun
17-06-2025
- General
- The Sun
Tesco's 69p buy will kill garden moss in just 24 hours & turns your lawn a luscious green during hot weather
A HANDY buy from Tesco is being hailed as a garden game-changer — and it costs just 69p. Fed-up Brits battling ugly moss patches on their lawns can wipe them out in just 24 hours using Tesco's Lemon Washing Up Liquid. The trick is being shared by gardening whizzes who swear by this easy hack — and it's as simple as mixing a few squirts of the lemon-scented liquid with warm water and spraying it directly onto the moss. Experts say this household item kills moss without harming your grass, giving your lawn a greener, healthier look in no time. Moss can quickly take over your lawn, especially in areas where the grass is thin or patchy. Unlike weeds, it spreads through spores, making it a right pain to control — and most weedkillers just don't touch it. But the gardening gurus at The Turf Grass Group say: 'It is not very difficult to get rid of moss in your lawn.' And you don't need any fancy chemicals. Just mix the washing up liquid with tepid water and give the moss a good soaking using a garden sprayer. After 24 hours, it should turn brown or orange — a sure sign it's dead and ready to be raked away. Once the moss has been zapped, go over the area with a metal rake to lift it out. Because moss has shallow roots, it comes up easily — no digging required. Be sure to bag it up and bin it, though. Leaving it lying around can spread spores back onto your grass and undo all your hard work. One shopper said: 'I tried this hack after reading about it online and was shocked by how well it worked. "The moss died off fast and the grass looked better in just a few days.' And it's not just moss that this hack helps. With regular care, your lawn can soak up more sunlight, water, and nutrients — which is especially important during heatwaves when grass can quickly turn dry and dull. 3
The Sun
29-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Shoppers race to M&S as one of their best selling items which is a mum-essential viral are scanning for just 63 PENCE
THEY'VE been dubbed the best strain removing product out there. With mums all over the UK racing to nab a pack to pop in their handbags, ready for accidental spills. 2 2 And while Marks & Spencer's stain-removing wipes don't break the bank at £1.25 for a pack of 30, one shopper was more than a little excited to spot that they were scanning for just 63p in her local store. So when Emily saw the discount, she stocked up - buying five packs of them. She took to TikTok to share a look at her epic haul, as she wrote in the caption: "The viral M&S stain removing wipes scanning through at only 63p! "Run don't walk!" Emily also added in response to a comment: "These work so well for me! "I use them on everything from my sofa to clothes." "I got black box dye on my cream nightie by accident and it came straight off with these wipes," someone else wrote. "These are brilliant - also the stain remover spray," another agreed. "I hope of one these has my name on it!" someone else said. As well as their incredible stain-removing power, the wipes have a gorgeous almond and sweet orange scent. I was gutted when scrubbing didn't get my 'stained' blender clean, then remembered a £3.25 spray I had in the cupboard ''Specially formulated with plant-based and biodegradable ingredients to work on a variety of surfaces, they lift marks without damage, leaving your home spotlessly clean," M&S says about the wipes. ''These sustainable wipes are made in the UK with a bespoke fragrance featuring almond and sweet orange essential oils. ''Made with our almond and sweet orange fragrance they leave a fresh scent behind on carpets, upholstery and fabric." And the positive comments came rolling in on the Ocado website, with one satisfied shopper calling them "absolutely brilliant". "Wasn't sure if this would work but it really does," one wrote. "Even worked on a week old stain! More hacks to get rid of harsh stains Baking Soda and Vinegar: Make a paste with baking soda and water. Apply to the stain and let it sit for 30 minutes. Rinse with vinegar and wash as usual. Lemon Juice and Salt: Squeeze lemon juice over the stain. Sprinkle salt generously. Rub the fabric together and leave it in the sun for an hour before washing. Hydrogen Peroxide and Dish Soap: Mix equal parts hydrogen peroxide and dish soap. Dab the mixture onto the stain. Let it sit for 10 minutes and then rinse. Milk for Ink Stains: Soak the stained area in milk. Leave it overnight. Rinse and wash the following day. White Vinegar for Grass Stains: Apply white vinegar directly to the grass stain. Let it soak for 15 minutes. Wash as usual. Cornflour for Grease Stains: Sprinkle cornflour onto the grease stain. Let it sit for 20 minutes to absorb the grease. Brush off the cornflour and wash the garment. Toothpaste for Collar Stains: Apply a small amount of non-gel toothpaste to the collar stain. Scrub gently with a toothbrush. Rinse and wash as usual. "Recommended to all my friends and family." "These are amazing and so far have removed a number of stains including curry, gravy, black current and pasta sauce," another raved. "They are so handy and just seem to rub off fresh stains or even ones you notice later, ideal for dinner medals!" "I bought these wipes after seeing them being recommended on a comment section," a third said. "At the price I thought they were worth a try, having 2 dogs, a cat and kids in the house means there's plenty of opportunity for them to be used! "My dog stained my duvet & duvet covers so I immediately got these wipes out and the stain was disappearing straight away, I put the items in a wash after and they have come out back to their usual state! "I'd highly recommend, I have used them a few times now & they have worked wonders." As someone else called them "magic", and added: "No idea how these work, but they really do!"
